Kaija had never seen anything like this place before, not in all of her adventuring thus far. What had first seemed like a ravine similar to any other ravine she'd encountered before had quickly turned out to be something much stranger before long. Her large paws carried her deeper and deeper into the earth, through a winding labyrinth of twists and turns before she noticed something about this place was unusual. She felt a noticeable heat emanating from the slick stone beneath her paws the further she descended, and while maybe that should've been a sign to turn back the way she'd come, instead she found herself intrigued by this place.

She couldn't have anticipated what she'd see up ahead though; as she rounded a slight curve ahead the darkness that she'd grown accustomed to suddenly faded all at once, replaced by a glow that almost seemed blinding even from a distance. Her jaw unhinged slightly as she pressed on, taking in a sight that was hard for her brain to really comprehend. In front of her, a large cavern suddenly opened up wide, tall pillars of stone reaching higher than she could see - and streams of molten lava poured down from the sky in streams. The heat grew stronger with each step she took and she slowed considerably, unsure how close she ought to get.

Warmth. The word pounds through Oscar’s head with every step he takes, the simple thought becoming the mantra that drives him on. As a small donkey who is definitely not built for the cold, the ass often wanders a little further south from his herd in search of said warmth. Nugget, the donkey’s small rooster friend, sits perched on the caramel-hued ass’s rump, feet threaded expertly into the curly hair that covers Oscar. Small hooves pick their way down a winding path, leading the pair further into the earth.

The pair had come across an opening in ground and the jagged scar’s hot breath promised to give them what they seek. Pebbles skitter away from Oscar’s hooves, filling the air with their clattering songs as they go. For a couple of prey animals, Oscar and Nugget are not very quiet. The path bends and deposits the pair on a rocky outcropping that overlooks a river of molten warmth. He stops near the edge, taking a deep breath and releasing it in a blissful sigh.

Long ears lay back as the donkey closes his eyes, enjoying the almost unbearable heat that raises up to greet him. Nugget fluffs out on his rump, allowing air to flow between his feathers to help keep the rooster from overheating. The rooster turns to survey the area and finds a large, looming shadow close by. He lets out a loud, alarmed series of clucks to alert Oscar to the potential threat. Eyes shoot open and the ass lets out a loud bray, turning quickly to face the threat and almost pitching Nugget over into the boiling hot river.

Nugget clucks his displeasure at almost becoming a fried chicken as Oscar stands tall and says, “Oi! Who goes there? Don’t be tryin’ to eat me! I have a very large friend that would be very unhappy!” Small hooves dance as he prepares to flee, his prey instincts urging him to leave while the ass stubbornly stands where he is to face the stranger.


"Oscar Monaghan"

Kaija was definitely out of her element here, down in this winding cavern with molten-hot liquid spewing down from... somewhere up above. This was like nothing she'd ever encountered before and she was stunned for a long moment as she calm to a halt and let her eyes take in the sights. First she had to squint hard against the bright lights of the lava flows. The view alone was enough to steal all of her attention - at least until a voice nearby nearly made her lose her balance, which was really saying something considering she'd been standing completely still.

Trying to regain her composure she spun around sharply, beyond surprised to see a donkey and a rooster. Probably a tasty little thing if she was the least bit hungry, she thought to herself, but being startled the way she had made her lose her appetite completely. She hadn't expected anyone else to be down here, certainly not two who looked like this. To say she was surprised was likely an understatement. Silver eyes widened dramatically as she watched the two for a long moment before finding her voice.

"I'm not even hungry," Kaija admitted, a little indignantly, though in a different circumstance she might very well try to eat him... though she wasn't used to having a conversation with her prey. That struck her as mildly disconcerting. "What are you doing down here, anyway? Place looks a little dangerous. More so for him," she gestured to the rooster with a snort of laughter. Her eyes had slowly begun to adjust to the bright lava flows and the cavern that opened up before them was a little easier to see now, and she cast a glance toward it, in awe of its size.

Oscar’s back legs dance as he shakes his head at the wolf, ready to defend himself if needed. However, as the lady’s eyes widen, the ass feels… well like an ass. Regret gnaws at his insides as the donkey’s head tilts, long ears standing up to take in her words. Not hungry? Well, the prey animal guesses that is good because otherwise, the wolf would be having a decent meal right about now. Her next words pull a laugh from Oscar as he shakes his head, thick Irish tones saying, “What, Nugget? Ah, don’t worry about him. He knows how to fight and he is smarter than he looks.”

At those words the very indignant rooster squawks and gives the donkey’s rump a sharp peck. Oscar’s eyes round and he lets out a startled yelp, back end jumping off the ground slightly in reaction to the sharp jab. Great, his rooster has just made him look all crazy in front of a pretty wolf. With a sigh, the jumpy ass settles and he looks to the wolf, dipping his head in greeting and saying, “I’m sorry miss. Didn’t mean to be rude but… ya know… predator, prey…” He lets the words fall off, shuffling his hooves and kicking a small pebble away.

It skitters across the ground, deflecting off a small rock and careening over the edge into the hot lava below. Blue eyes follow the pebble, mouth opening in shock as it hits the hot lava and disappears with a hiss and puff of steam. Jaw hanging open, he looks to the wolf and says, “Uh, maybe you are right. Besides, a roasted Nugget won’t do.” Flashing the wolf a grin, the donkey backs away from the pools of lava, noticing a distinct difference in temperature the further away he gets. Hmm. Maybe it is a little too warm from him.

Looking over to the lady, he says, “Name’s Oscar and I came down here to get warm. My herd lives up North and I… am not built for the cold.” Another grin, this time an attempt to be charming as he looks at the tusked lady. Damn. She is hot. And no, it isn’t just because she standing near some boiling hot lava.

"Oscar Monaghan"

Something about having a little chat with someone before eating them definitely didn't settle well with her, nor did it stimulate her appetite. Instead she met them with a slightly confused sense of interest, head tilting and her eyebrows raising as she tried to make sense of the scene. "I'd hope he's smarter than he looks," she commented with a dry chuckle as she looked the rooster companion over once again. Why anyone would hang out with such a creature was beyond her but then again she wouldn't seek out a donkey to hang around and chat with either - but now that one had stumbled in her path she wasn't going to actively avoid him. Kaija cocked her head to the side at what she saw of the relationship between the two, which seemed a little turbulent, but who was she to judge?

"No worries, I get it," the tusked woman brushed off his apology briskly. No harm, no foul. Kaija wasn't the type to dwell on things for long anyway. Her anger could be loud but usually faded as quickly as it appeared.

She grimaced a little as she watched the rock tumble down into the abyss below. Intense. Kaija wasn't scared per se but she didn't intend to get close to the edge anyway, not here. "Never seen anywhere quite like this place. Can't say I'm a fan, either." No, she definitely preferred more wide-open spaces. Spelunking wasn't something that interested her much, less so every time she found herself wandering somewhere underground. Maybe next time she'd remember that before she went poking around somewhere like this.

"Nice to meetcha, Oscar. I'm Kaija. I'm kinda used to the cold but I can see why it might bother you." It wasn't exactly like his coat was built for extreme temperatures, at least not that it looked like to her. "How long are ya planning to hang around here, then? As long as your herd does?"

The donkey flashes the big wolf a grin, lips pulling back to reveal his flat herbivore teeth. When he talks about Nugget, the lady speaks and her dry chuckle has the small ass snorting a laugh and saying, “Well, maybe not too smart. He does hang out with me.” Long ears flatten as he tosses his head back and laughs, his bray somewhat softer than his previous one of fear. Oscar apologizes for his rude assumptions and the tusked wolf briskly brushes it off which has the donkey relaxing even more, his grins begin to come easier as he tries his best to be charming.

A small hoof kicks a pebble across the dark ground where it strikes another small rock and is sent careening over the edge into the hot pools of lava below. The woman speaks about this place and Oscar nods his head, allowing his light blue gaze to roam over around the cavern. It is breathing-taking, really; the way the stalagmites reach down from the ceiling, some with small trails of lava running sluggishly downward to drip into the wide pools of magma below. The darkness that had hung like a heavy blanket in the winding path that lead here was suddenly pulled back in the face of the light of the magma.

It really is stunning and, if he is being honest, down right terrifying. A single misstep and the ass could pitch himself or his rooster friend into the burning lava. Dancing backward, he offers the wolf his name and a grin which earns him the lady’s name. Pointing his body back toward the tunnel, Oscar’s ears flick as she asks about his herd and the donkey gives a small chuckle as his thick Irish tones fill the air, “Aye. They’re my family and, while we’re a strange lot, we take care of each other. Unfortunately for me, three out of five members of our herd need to be in cold temperatures. So, looks like I’ll be living up in the cold for the rest of my life.”

A small snort is given as the smile tugs at the ass’s lips, his thoughts turning to the herd as he waits to walk with the lady out of this place. Tilting his head, Oscar asks, “What about you, Kaija? Do you have a herd or… wait… wolves have… packs! You have a pack of your own?” The donkey may not be well versed in the lives of wolves but Taiga, the herd’s lioness, has warned them about a pack that has taken up residence in their Northern lands. Maybe this pretty wolf is a member of it?


"Oscar Monaghan"

Though she hadn't intended to get along with someone of such a vastly different species, he seemed amused enough by her words, letting out a laugh at her comment. She joined in with a low chuckle of her own, the sound booming from her chest and echoing off the nearby cavern walls. Already she's decided she quite likes him, at least more than most wolves she comes across, which isn't saying a whole lot… but for a donkey, it's pretty damn good.

Truly she's never seen anything even remotely like this place either. The heat that emanates from nearby feels other-wordly; so strikingly hot even from such a distance. It's hard to completely drown out the intrusive thoughts that suddenly strike her as she watches the donkey kick a rock into the depths below. What a death that would surely be - a shiver crawled up her spine at the thought of such a brutal way to go out. No, she'd definitely stay away from the edge, she was all set with that fate.

Oscar explained he was sticking with his herd. She understood that.. Well, a little bit, at least, even if she didn't live like most wolves did. "Yeah, most wolves I meet seem to stay in packs. I was born in one, but I just do my own thing now. Free spirit or whatever, I guess," she explained with a flick of her tail. "Which is exactly how I end up in places like this."

The extremely hot lava provides Oscar with a warmth that he hasn’t felt in ages. While he is content with the heat, he wonders if the wolf finds it too hot. Kaija speaks of packs and being a free spirit, which has the donkey cracking a huge grin. Braying a soft laugh at her words, the small ass says, “You’d be a great fit with our herd. We’re all different and maybe a little strange. But we love each other and stick together… ‘cuase we are family.”

He blows out a small content sigh as he thinks of his herd, a fondness twinkling in his blue eyes. Nugget fluffs his feathers out from his perch on the donkey’s rump and begins to preen while muttering to himself about finally being warm. A smile tugs at Oscar’s lips as he looks up at the tall woman, mulling over something. After a moment, he dips his head in silent agreement with himself and says, “Kaija, if you find yourself up North, you’re welcome to travel with us for a while. We have a couple predators that are part of herd and, as long you don’t eat the prey, you’re welcome to join us.”

A warm smile pulls at his lips as he looks at her, wondering if she will ever take him up on his strange offer. Flicking his long ears, Oscar asks, “Aren’t you hot with all that fur? Would ya like to leave?” His Irish accent becomes thicker as concern paints his words.


"Oscar Monaghan"

Anyone who seems even a little bit entertained by her is someone she considers a friend. It's the ones who are all serious and business-like when there's no real reason to be that she tries to stay away from. She really wouldn't mind hanging out with this guy again, if she was being honest, and his casual invitation to hang out with his herd was pretty nice. Not something she'd take him up on, at least not right now.

But hey, maybe if she did find herself further north and felt a bit lonely she'd try to seek him out again. Sounded like a decent group of creatures to hang out with, especially if they were anything like Oscar. She's usually brutally honest but he's been nice enough to her so she won't just straight up tell him 'no'. "If I find my way over there I'll go looking for ya. Thanks," she said with a wide grin.

Truthfully she was getting a bit hot down here and the cavern, however spacious this area might be, had a way of making her feel confined. The heat didn't help that feeling any. "I think I should be going, actually," Kaija decided with a nod. Who knew where she'd end up next, but her next step was definitely not to hang out here for much longer. "It was nice meeting ya, Oscar, and you too Nugget," she eyed the rooster with an amused chortle. "Maybe I'll see you two around!" With that she'd head back the way she came, sure she knew her way out and even more sure she wasn't going to waste any time in reaching the surface.

-exit Kaija-